Carnage on morning commute: Terrorists bomb Madrid trains, kill 173 Scenes of carnage followed bomb attacks on at least three Madrid commuter trains, leaving at least 173 dead and more than up to 1,000 injured.

It is the worst terrorist incident in the history of Spain.

The government is blaming Eta, the Basque separatist movement designated as a terrorist organisation by the EU, for the bombings, although no one has yet claimed the attacks.

Two bombs exploded on one commuter train at the Atocha station in the heart of Madrid, blowing at least one carriage nearly in two. At least one other bomb on that train did not explode.

Several other bombs designed to explode as emergency workers arrived have been disarmed by police.

Very early reports said at least 18 died in a blast at El Pozo station in the city's southern suburbs and 15 at Santa Eugenia, but the death toll has been rising quickly as emergency crews work on the wreckage in all three sites.

In all, reports suggest that four trains were hit by explosions in the three train stations, all on trains heading into the city's main train terminal. All the trains were packed with commuters.

The bombs detonated without warning and nearly simultaneously at 7.35am local time.

According to the security minister for Madrid's regional government, at least 173 people were killed and more than 600, possibly up to 1,000, were injured in the attacks. Earlier estimates from various Spanish authorities had said numbers were much lower, but the toll keeps mounting as bodies are discovered in the wreckage.

Click here for a video report on the scene by the BBC (RealPlayer required)

"This is a massacre," government spokesman Eduardo Zaplana told the BBC.

He condemned what he called "an attack on Spanish democracy", calling Eta "a criminal gang of killers."

Ten days ago Spanish police seized a van carrying more than 1,100lbs -- 500 kilos -- of explosives, believed bound for an attack in Madrid by Eta.

The terrorist attack comes only three days before a hotly contested general election and the nation is now in a three day period of mourning. So far, the elections are said to be on track.

The country's political parties have suspended campaigning in the wake of the blasts.

"When Eta attacks, the Basque heart breaks into a thousand pieces," he said.

Some early speculation by the Eta political arm that Islamic factions might have been responsible have been discounted by Spanish authorities.

Spanish authorities say that Eta operatives had been trying to stage a massive attack on the rail network.

According to the BBC, Spanish authorities foiled a Basque separatist plot to blow up a train at a Madrid rail station last September.

In that attack, a 25-kilo bomb had been placed on a train travelling from San Sebastian to Madrid, Interior Minister Angel Acebes said.

Eta has killed more than 800 people in its campaign since the late 1960s. In 1980, its bloodiest year, Eta killed 118 people.

In the wake of the bombings this morning, both the BBC and CNN have come under heavy criticism from Spanish authorities for continuing to call the Eta a "separatist" movement, rather than a terrorist operation.

The Spanish government has been quick to blame ETA for the March11 train bombings in Madrid, but the glove doesn't quite fit. Ifit was ETA, it would indicate a shift in leadership and/oroperational methodology. It is possible, however, that anothergroup is behind the attacks.

Analysis

Spanish Interior Minister Angel Acebes has blamed the March 11Madrid train bombings on Basque separatist group ETA. ETA'soutlawed political wing, Batasuna, has denied the group wasresponsible, blaming the "Arab resistance" reacting to Spain'smilitary participation in the Iraq war and occupation. Manyaspects of the attack do not fit with ETA's modus operandi, andthe attack could be counterproductive to the group's objective ofgreater Basque autonomy or independence.

Although ETA -- or perhaps an offshoot -- certainly cannot beruled out as a prime suspect, it is far from clear that Basqueseparatists staged the attack. In fact, a growing case can bemade that militant Islamists could be behind it.

But first for ETA: The Basque separatist group clearly has hadits eye on Madrid in recent months. In December 2003, Spanishpolice foiled an ETA plot to detonate two bombs aboard two trainsin the Madrid railway station on Christmas Eve -- a plot eerilysimilar to the March 11 attack. Two suspected ETA members werearrested, and the bombs were defused before the trains reachedthe station. In late February 2004, Spanish police intercepted avan driven by an alleged ETA member bound for Madrid, carrying acargo of more than 1,100 pounds of explosives that authoritiessaid was part of a plan to detonate a bomb in the capital beforethe March 14 national elections.

These interdictions could have had several results. They couldhave demonstrated to ETA that the long-running crackdown by theAznar government resulted in critical operational leaks. ETAmight have identified those leaks and plugged them. The groupalso might have decided to keep a much tighter grip on planningfor this operation and change its habit of offering advancewarning of attacks, which it might now consider too risky. ETA'snonhierarchical structure -- with a diffuse collection of largelyself-sufficient cells -- could have prompted a certain cell tolaunch the operation without the knowledge of the centralleadership to lessen the chance of interdiction.

Second, the interdictions and wider roundup of ETA operatives andleadership over the past several years might have generated a newgroup of younger, bolder and more radicalized Basquenationalists, a new generation of ETA leadership or a new, moreradical cell working apart from the more traditional leadership.More than 400 ETA members are in Spanish prisons, and more than200 suspected ETA members have been arrested in the past twoyears. However, ETA has continued to gain new recruits throughBatasuna. That could help explain the change of MO toward larger-scale attacks that cause indiscriminate casualties.

ETA cells are not known to carry out attacks independently oforders from above; the group has always been disciplined in thisregard. Cells haven't worked freelance in the past, but recentvictories by Spanish and French security forces might have forcedthem to change tactics. Frustration with the interdictions andperceptions among Basque extremists of a wider ETA failure inrecent years also could have broken down organizationaldiscipline, leading to splinter groups similar to the IRA andReal IRA in Ireland.

Still, there is something not quite right about the ETAexplanation. If it is ETA, the Madrid attacks will fundamentallydamage the cause of Basque nationalists/separatists. In fact, theattack could be so counterproductive as to ultimately undermine,weaken and isolate ETA. If the attack can be pinned on theBasques, it will give the current and future Spanish governmentall the leeway it needs to crack down even more harshly on ETA.Meanwhile, anyone who speaks out on behalf of the Basques ortheir dream of greater autonomy likely would be labeled aterrorist sympathizer.

The nationalists want greater political autonomy, and Basqueleaders have been moving in that direction, absorbing Basques whomight support ETA politically into the Basque mainstream. Theywere pushing among other things for a Basque referendum onwhether they should have more political autonomy or fullindependence. Rather than galvanizing the Basque country aroundthose independence ambitions, the attacks will horrify mostBasques and will make the nationalist divisions in the regioneven worse. This could bleed support away from radicalnationalist Basque groups and strengthen the Basque center, whichis pushing for full autonomy bordering on -- but not quitereaching -- full independence. This also could cut into thegroup's local financial support.

Finally, it could undermine any sympathies for Basque ambitionsamong other mildly separatist regions in Spain, includingCatalonia and Galicia.

In its 45-year history, hundreds of ETA attacks have resulted inonly about 800 deaths. With the death toll from March 11 up to186 (with more than 1,000 confirmed injured), that number hasjumped by 25 percent in one day. In short, these attacks wentmuch too far to support ETA's goals, undermining a historicalpattern designed to keep pressure on Madrid without completelyalienating itself from the rest of Spain, or at least thenationalists in the Basque country. This attack will completelyundermine that pattern.

There are other suspects. The Islamist Web site Jihadunspun.com,or JUS, reported March 11 that a previously unknown Islamistgroup calling itself Lions of al-Mufridoon claimed responsibilityfor blasts. The group is said to consist of Moroccan, Algerianand Tunisian operatives linked to al Qaeda.

We should note that there is a discrepancy in the JUS report: Thename used in the body of the text is "Lions of al-Mufridoon," butit was spelled "Lions of al-Muwahidoun" in the headline on theJUS homepage. "Al-Muwahidoun" means "the Unitarians" (a typicalWahhabi/Neo-Salafist term); it is a known group that was blamedfor the May 17, 2003, bombings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Stratforhas not confirmed this report and is looking into thediscrepancy, and the involvement of Islamists remainsspeculation.

Still, there is reason to believe Islamists could be behind theattack. A Russian military intelligence source told Stratfor thatforeign Islamist fighters caught in Chechnya and interrogated byRussian forces over the past three months have said repeatedlythat Islamists of North African origin who have received combatand explosives experience in Chechnya were planning attacks inEurope against Spanish and Italian targets. Among those capturedin Chechnya were a Moroccan and two Algerians -- similar to thedescription of the Lions of al-Mufridoon.

Although Russian intelligence is known for seeing Chechenconnections in any number of places, the Morocco-Algeria-Tunisialink makes sense on several levels. Spain's large ethnic Arabpopulation -- which originates from these three countries --would make it easier for Islamist extremists to operate there.Apart from the United Kingdom, Spain was the staunchest supporterof the war against Iraq, raising its profile among Islamistslooking to strike back at the United States and its allies. OnNov. 29, seven Spanish intelligence agents traveling in a convoynear Baghdad were shot and beaten to death, and a Spanishdiplomat -- who was also an intelligence officer -- wasassassinated Oct. 9 near his residence in the Iraqi capital.Spain also has been mentioned explicitly in the most recentstatements by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri.

There are similarities between the Chechen attacks and the Madridbombing as well, suggesting a conceivable tactical/trainingconnection. Chechens often target trains, most recently in theMoscow metro bombing Feb. 6. In addition to that attack, therehave been several regular and suburban trains bombed in Russia'ssouthern regions.

If trains become a target of choice for Islamists looking towreak havoc on Europe, it would spell real trouble for acontinent that depends on its rail network for travel andcommercial transport. The Spanish rail system will be disruptedfor weeks as Spain initiates new security procedures. Next door,France also has a dark cloud hanging over its rail system as ashadowy group calling itself AZF claims to have plantedunderground bombs on French rail lines. Down the road, Europe hasthe Greek Olympics to worry about: All trains to Athens runthrough the less-than-secure Balkans.===================================

The Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades has claimed responsibility for the March 11 bomb attacks on trains in Madrid, which left nearly 200 dead and almost 1,500 wounded. The jury is still out on who is actually responsible, but if this group was behind them, it would mean al Qaeda retains the capability to launch attacks in the West. The letter claiming responsibility also mentions that an impending attack on the United States is "90 percent ready" for launch.

Analysis

Kataib Abu Hafs al-Masri (the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades), a prominent group with known links to al Qaeda, sent a five-page e-mail and fax to the London-based newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi on March 11, claiming responsibility for the Madrid train bombings.

The claim is unverified, but if true it indicates that al Qaeda retains operational assets in the West -- of which the Brigades are a critical element. Perhaps coincidentally, the attack occurred exactly six months after Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri included Spain on their list of targets in separate statements.

Part of the al-Masri statement read, "We announce the good news for the Muslims in the world that the strike of the black wind of death, the expected strike against America, is now at its final stage -- 90 percent ready -- and it is coming soon, by God's will." The group threatened other U.S. allies and taunted Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, saying, "Aznar, where is America? Who will protect you, Britain, Japan, Italy and the others from us?"

Al-Masra claimed its "death squad" had infiltrated "one of the pillars of the crusade alliance, Spain," and successfully executed "Operation Death Trains" in Madrid. The reason given was to settle "old accounts" with Spain -- a reference to the Spanish inquisition and Spain's contemporary alliance with the United States.

The group is named after al Qaeda military chief Mohammed Atef (also known as Abu Hafs), who was killed when a predator drone fired a Hellfire missile at a building in Jalalabad in November 2001. Abu Hafs was a former Egyptian police officer and a member of the group of Egyptians who joined al Qaeda in the mid-1990s under the leadership of al-Zawahiri. His daughter is married to one of bin Laden's sons. The group signs its statements as "Kataib Abu Hafs al-Masri (Tandheem al Qaeda)," meaning Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades (al Qaeda Organization).

Stratfor predicted in summer 2003 that al Qaeda's management in the West remained intact, and that the group could still attack Western targets. Al-Masri has been either directly responsible for or affiliated with groups behind a string of attacks in Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, Turkey and now possibly in Spain. It would appear to have an extended intercontinental reach and is perhaps the operational arm of al Qaeda, due to current circumstances -- namely the necessity for al Qaeda's leadership to remain hidden.===============Spain: Jihadist Group Lays Claim to Train AttacksMarch 11, 2004 2116 GMT

Summary

The Spanish government appears to be convinced that the Basque separatist group ETA is behind the train bombings in Madrid that left 193 dead and 1,430 injured. However, jihadunspun.com, a Web site sympathetic to militant Islamist causes, reported that a jihadist group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The Web site is the only source of information about the group -- whose name appears to contain a discrepancy.

Analysis

Jihadunspun.com's (JUS) news desk reported March 11 that a hitherto unknown group, "the Lions of al-Mufridoon," has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks on trains in Madrid on March 11. JUS added that the militant Islamist group is said to be composed of operatives from three North African countries -- Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia -- and is suspected to have links to al Qaeda.

While Madrid seems determined to place the blame on the Basque separatist movement ETA, it cannot be ruled out that the deadly explosions could be the work of a European-based jihadist cell tied to al Qaeda. However, Stratfor has not detected the normal "chatter" on jihadist Internet chat sites that normally follows a militant Islamist attack.

JUS's report is important because it contains two separate names for the group claiming responsibility for the bombings.

On the JUS homepage, the name of the militant group is "Lions of al-Muwahidoun," but the name used in the body of the report on the bombings is "Lions of al-Mufridoon." This might be nothing more than a typographical error, but the fact that "al-Muwahidoun" is the name of a known al Qaeda linked group makes that unlikely.

The implications of the two names are interesting. The word "al-Mufridoon" is from the root word "f-r-d" and is a derivative of the word "fard," which means "obligation." This would indicate that "al-Mufridoon" are those who do their best to fulfill their (religious) obligations. There is no additional information available on this group.

"Al-Muwahidoun," on the other hand, means "The Unitarians" (a typical Wahhabi/Neo-Salafist term) and is the name of a group with a prior record of militant activity. It has been blamed for the May 17, 2003, blasts in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The group consists of militants who fought at Tora Bora, the cave complex in Afghanistan, in December 2001, and later made their way to Saudi Arabia. Based on its record of activity, al-Muwahidoun is a Saudi-specific group.

Despite the discrepancy in names, it remains possible that a militant Islamist group could be responsible for the train attacks. If this is the case, then it signals a shift of focus for al Qaeda-inspired jihadists. More attacks elsewhere in Europe could follow.

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Spain Attacks Tied to Upcoming Elections?March 11, 2004 2359 GMT

Summary

If Islamic militants perpetrated the March 11 attacks in Madrid -- the responsible party or parties have not been identified -- they might have been seeking to influence the outcome of the country's national elections set for March 14. If so, they miscalculated. If Spain's populace becomes convinced that the attackers were Muslims, whoever is elected likely will align Spain even more with the United States in the global war on terrorism.

Analysis

Spain's main political parties suspended campaigning for the March 14 general elections after at least 10 bombs exploded on four Madrid commuter trains during the morning rush hour. They gave no indication the elections would be postponed, although Spain's central and regional governments likely will redouble security for weeks to come.

Leaders of the ruling conservative Popular Party (PP) and the Spanish Workers Socialist Party (PSOE) condemned the perpetrators of the worst attack since the end of Gen. Francisco Franco's dictatorship in 1975 as "scum and criminals." Leaders in both main parties also agreed the attacks likely were carried out by the Basque separatist group ETA, although two Islamist militant groups also have claimed responsibility and no official determination has yet been made.

If ETA was behind the attacks, it might have assured the re-election of the incumbent PP, which under departing Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar implemented a tough security policy against the Basque separatist group. If ETA's goal was to weaken the PP at the polls or uphold the separatist cause, it likely achieved the opposite results. PP -- and even the PSOE if it wins -- would adopt even harsher measures against ETA, and the cause of Basque independence would be buried for years.

While ETA is the Spanish government's principal suspect, a previously unknown group that calls itself the Lions of al-Mufridoon, or Lions of al-Muwahidoun, reportedly has claimed credit for the multiple bomb attacks. A second group, Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigade, also has claimed responsibility.

If Islamist militants were responsible, was the timing of the attack only three days before Spain's national elections a coincidence?

Islamic militant groups like al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah have not shown any particular preference for attacking on symbolic dates. Instead, attacks have been launched based on expediency -- when everything came together at the right time for the attackers, who then immolated themselves with their victims. It is also possible that if Islamists carried out the bombings, one of their goals was to influence the elections.

Voter surveys conducted as recently as last week show the ruling PP headed for a third consecutive victory in national elections with Aznar's handpicked successor, Mariano Rajoy. PSOE candidate Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is in second place. The PP is expected to capture approximately 44 percent of the vote and win between 162 and 172 seats in the 350-member National Assembly, compared to the 183 seats it won in the 2000 elections. It would not have an absolute majority and would have to negotiate coalitions, most likely with nationalist groups in Catalunia and Galicia. The PSOE is expected to capture about 38 percent of the vote and about 141 seats, up 16 seats from the 125 it won in 2000.

The PP and PSOE are not that far apart in terms of the programs they are offering Spanish voters. Rajoy has pledged to maintain Aznar's policies, except "slightly better." Rodriguez Zapatero also has promised more economic reforms and policies to attract foreign investment, create jobs and improve living standards. Both candidates have promised to give Spain a stronger voice in the European Union and continue the Spanish economic "reconquista" of Latin America.

The only issue on which Rajoy and Rodriguez Zapatero differ radically is Spain's alignment with the United States in the global war on terrorism. Rodriguez Zapatero has pledged to bring Spanish troops in Iraq home immediately if he is elected. Most Spaniards, even longtime PP supporters, bitterly opposed Aznar's support for the United States in the Iraq war. One of the reasons Aznar retired from Spanish politics was to prevent that bitterness from tainting the electoral prospects of Rajoy and the incumbant PP.

If Rajoy wins, Spain would remain aligned with the United States against Islamist militant groups. If Rodriguez Zapatero won, Spain would disengage from the U.S.-led war. If Islamists attacked Madrid deliberately only hours before national elections, perhaps they hoped it would collapse support for the PP and boost the PSOE's chances. If so, they committed a gross miscalculation.

The countries of the Arab Islamic world tend to be riven with fractures easily exploited by outsiders. This is not to belittle Arab societies, merely to point out that the West -- comprised of nation-states that have more social glue -- usually reacts to outside threats by closing ranks, not shattering into groups guided by ethnic or sectarian interests. The exceptions are states on the fringe of the West, such as in the Balkans, where the ideas of nation (ethnic identification) and state (political entity) do not coincide.

The popular response in Spain to the tragedy likely will be an intense -- and sustained -- burst of nationalism and unity. The PP's chances likely have improved following these attacks. However, even if the PSOE were to win, Rodriguez Zapatero likely would not disengage Madrid from the U.S.-led war on terrorism if the Madrid attacks were carried out by Islamists.

If the Spanish populace concludes they were attacked by external Islamist forces, the result will be a Spain even more committed to fighting global terrorism. Islamist groups in Spain will come under intense police and judicial scrutiny, with the National Assembly likely approving even tougher anti-terrorism laws. Anti-terrorism resources focused mainly on the Basque problem likely would be expanded to include covert intelligence operations aimed at ferreting out individuals or organizations that support or sympathize with Islamist militants.

It is also likely, if Islamists were responsible, that Spain's government would lead a forceful charge to compel the European Union to adopt a much tougher approach to battling terrorism. This could bring Madrid into more serious discussion with larger EU powers like France and Germany over the extent to which the EU should align with Washington. Madrid's position, likely to be embraced by the cCntral European countries about to join the union, will be that Brussels must cooperate more broadly with the United States.

Spanish explosives experts have found an unexploded bomb they say leads them to conclude the Basque separatist group ETA did not build the device. This makes it more likely that a militant Islamist group is behind the multiple, nearly simultaneous attacks in Madrid on March 11.

Analysis

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar continued to insist March 12 that ETA is to blame for the most devastating attacks in his country's history. However, Spanish explosives experts examined an unexploded bomb found inside a backpack late March 11 and concluded the device was not manufactured by ETA bombers.

Within hours of the attack, European and Russian diplomatic and security sources told Stratfor that Islamist militants were the likeliest suspects. Those suspicions now have hardened. A highly placed U.S. source told Stratfor on March 12 that U.S. intelligence believes the attacks were carried out either by groups associated with al Qaeda or by al Qaeda sympathizers. The source confirmed that U.S. intelligence agencies are actively helping the Spanish government search for the guilty party.

The technical and design characteristics of the unexploded bomb significantly increase the likelihood that the attacks, which killed 199 and wounded nearly 1,500, are the work of al Qaeda or another militant group associated with Osama bin Laden's network. The unexploded bomb had a copper detonator; ETA habitually uses aluminum. The dynamite was not French-made Titadine, which ETA operatives frequently steal from French quarries; it likely was made in Spain by Explosivos Rio Tinto, Spanish government sources say.

Investigators are trying to determine whether the dynamite was stolen or an individual or company bought it legally. The unexploded dynamite has markers that will allow investigators to determine who manufactured it and the date it was made. Sales of explosives are tightly regulated in Spain, and the paper trail should help investigators more or less pinpoint where they came from and where they wound up. If the bombers are as sophisticated as Stratfor believes, however, Spanish investigators could identify the origin of the dynamite but still be unable to pin down the actual bombers.

If an al Qaeda cell or an associated outrider group attacked Madrid, it would have major implications for Western Europe. Al Qaeda and associated groups have struck targets in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the United States. The Madrid attack would be the first strike inside the European Union. More attacks of this nature should be expected in other EU countries, especially Britain, France and Italy -- and possibly also in Germany.

Britain is replete with zealous young unemployed Muslims who have dropped out of school, and there might be some among them willing to launch attacks in retaliation for Prime Minister Tony Blair's support of the war on Iraq. There also are groups that are "cheerleaders" of sorts for jihadists. These represent a potential pool of recruits. Some Muslims also could harbor longstanding grievances against Britain for perceived wrongs committed against Islam dating from the British colonial era.

France has a large Muslim population, and many are enraged by the government's ban on religious symbols that includes headscarves. Although the Chirac government bitterly opposed the U.S. invasion of Iraq, some militant Islamist groups could choose more forceful ways to express their repudiation of a ban many see as an insult to Muslim women and an offense to Islam.

The Italian people overwhelmingly opposed the Iraq war, more so perhaps than any EU population save that of Spain, but Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's support for the Bush administration also makes Italy a legitimate target. Germany also could be targeted for prosecuting Muslims charged with crimes related to Sept. 11.

The choice to target trains has horrifying implications for EU countries in which everyone travels by rail. Suicide bombers have attacked U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, a nightclub packed with foreigners in Bali and a U.S. warship anchored in a Yemen port. The bombers in Madrid chose a congested public transport system, and no suicide bombers appear to have been involved -- although this will not be confirmed beyond a doubt until forensics experts complete the autopsies, which could take weeks or even months.

Europe has a wealth of targets like Madrid's rail system; it is one of the world's most densely populated regions. Besides urban passenger rail systems, future attacks in Europe could target football stadiums, pedestrian promenades like the area near the Spanish Steps in Rome, shopping malls and other venues that tend to be heavily congested but do not have the security found in airports and near government buildings. The implications are that federal and local governments will have to ratchet up security significantly in the future, which will hinder broader efforts to contain the fiscal red ink in countries like France.

The Madrid bombers appear to be a highly autonomous group, which means they will be very difficult to locate. With U.S. and other anti-terrorism forces aggressively pursuing al Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, it is not likely the group had any contact with the chieftains. The bombers might have known they had bin Laden's blessing, but they most likely planned and executed the Madrid attacks autonomously without receiving orders from the top. If we are correct in this assumption, the group that carried out the Madrid attacks has already dispersed and gone deep undercover. It is even possible they have left Spain and are hiding elsewhere in the European Union.

Anyone else's thoughts on this? Personally, I think it's a shame that the new prime minister is taking this route, but if that's the path he feels the country needs to walk, that is his decision and the right of the people of Spain. I'd also like to add my deepest condolences to the Spanish people and my sincerest wishes that those responsible be brought to justice swiftly and severely.

Perhaps Spain will focus their energy on terrorist trails within Europe. That would be a justification of reorganizing a limited military source. If they don't attack the terror cells, then it sends a signal to terrorists that the people will bow to their whims.

--Rafael-----------------------------------

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--Rafael--"..awaken your consciousness of our past, already effaced from our memory, and to rectify what has been falsified and slandered." Jose Rizal, from his 1889 essay, ' To The Filipinos '

>Anyone else's thoughts on this? Personally, I think it's a shame that>the new prime minister is taking this route, but if that's the path>he feels the country needs to walk, that is his decision and the>right of the people of Spain.

Considering that Aznar pushed Spain into the Iraq war over theobjections of 90% of the population, it should come as littlesurprise his party would be given the boot at the next availableoppurtunity.

I think it's ridiculous how some people are calling the Spanish"appeasers". Unlike us, they've been dealing with terrorist attackson their soil for decades now, and they've had enough recentexperience living under a fascist dictatorship to know thatmilitarizing your society and curtailing civil liberties is not theway to fight terrorism.